St. Paul daily globe., 1887-12-06
Congress Opened Yesterday
With the Usual Formal
Ceremonies.
The New Members of Both
Houses Sworn In With
Little Opposition.
The United States Supreme
Court Renders Two I'M
portant Decisions.
Virginia Wins an Important
Case--The Right to Regu-
late Liquor Selling.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The senate
chamber wore fresh appearance this
morning. The floors and galleries were
newly carpeted and the desks glistened
in their coat of varniSh, the OdOr of
which mingled with that of the bouquets
and gorgeous floral devices which ell
livened the picture. Over One-third of
the desks contained floral tributes, rang
ing from the modest little basket of field
flowers which graced the desk of Sena-
tor CullOm, to the series of magnificent
floral shapes that were upon, around
and about the desk and chair of Mr..
Daniel. of Virginia. They consisted of
enormous horse shoes of La France
roses. a ladder of immOrtelles, crowns
of viOletS and baskets of orchids. Mr.
Daniel and his frame of color was the
cynOsure of the occasion. A harp of
white and yellow roses wreathed with
ivy stood on the desk of Mr.. Riddle
berger, a gift from the Clan na Gael of
Philadelphia. Senators began to arrive
and take their seats before II o'clock,
Senators Stewart and HiscOck being the
first comers. For an hour before noon
the floor was busy scene, members of
both parties, their friends and the
officers of the senate taking this
occasion to exchange greetings and
compare notes. The chief topic of con-
versatiOn was the prospect of conflict
over the admission of certain Demo
cratic SenatOrS-elect. and it early be-
came known that the Republicans, in
default of any caucus plan of action,
had concluded to follow the lead of their
members of the common privileges and
elections. There had been an informal
consultation, it was understood, and
had reached the conclusion to make no
opposition TO the admission of Mr.. Tur-
pie, of Indiana, but to object to the adj
mission of Mr.. Faulkner, of West Vir-
ginia, on the ground that there were
conflicting credentials from that state.
The general opinion was that there
would be no deadlock, and that the
usual course of opening proceedings
would not be broken. The galleries
were early crowded and to oYerfiowing.
Mrs. Cleveland, clad in a costume of
dark green, and accompanied by Mrs.
Glider, Mrs. Kingford and several other
lady friends, occupied the seats reserved
for the family of the president in one of
the private galleries. The diplomatic
gallery was filled by members of the
various legations, the front seat being
occupied by the Chinese minister, his
L
wore magnificent robe of light blue
satin. and his companions were clad as
richly, though in more subdued colors.
RtUTINE PROCEEDINGS.
The proceedings of the day were
opened with prayer by the chaplain,
Rev. j. G. Butler. He asked that the
senators might be endowed with wis
dom and strength to meet the honorable
and trying responsibilities of the day
and all the duties that gathered around
them. The president of the senate, Mr..
ingalls,, then took the chair and called
the senate to order. He said he would
now place before the senate the GER
tificates of election, the certificates of
appointment and other papers received
since the adjournment. The following
papers were thereupOn submitted and
read:
Certificate of the governor of Florida
making the temporary appointment of
ID. j. Finlay as senator from the 4th of
March, 1887, until the Legislature should
fill the vacancy caused by the eXpira-
ton of the term of Senator Jones.
Certificate of the governor Of Florida
of the election by the legislature of
Samuel Pasco.
Certificate of the governor of New
Jersey of the election of Rufus Blodgett.
Certificate of the governor of West
Virginia of the appointment by him of
Daniel B. Lucas to fill vacancy caused
by the expiration of the term of Senator
Camden.
Certificate of the governor of West
Virginia of summary of the proceed
ingS by which the legislature in special
session elected Charles S. Faulkner as
senator to fill the vacancy.
Credentials of William E. Chandler as
senator from the state of New Hamp-
shire.
Protest of Daniel B. Lucas against
the administration of the oath of office
to Charles j. Faulkner. The grounds
of the protest are:
First-That the executive of the state
of West Virginia has not certified the
election of Charles j. Faulkner under
the seal of the state, as required by act
of congress.
SecOnd-FOr reasons set out in the
brief of Daniel B. Lucas. copy of
which accompanied the protest.
Third-BecauSe Charles j. Faulkner
was at the time and date of his alleged
election. on the 5th of May, 1887, a Judge
of the Thirteenth judicial district of
West Virginia, and therefore ineligible
to the office OF senator.
The protest was laid on the table and
ordered to be printed in the Record.
The ceremony of administering
THE OATH OF OFFICE
to the duly elected senators was then
proceeded with, such senators being
called in parties of four, and in alpha
betical order. The first four senators
with uplifted hand. and not on the BIZ
ble), were: Aldrich, Bate, BlOdgett
and Chandler. The second four were:
Cockrell, Daniel, Davis and Dawes.
The third four called were Edmunds,
Faulkner, George and German. Mr..
Hoar objected, for TIE time being. to adj
the oath of office to Mr..
Faulkner. He understood that what
ever question arose concerning the title
of that senator to seat, arose on the
credentials themselves, the whole pro-
ceedings of the legislature and the his
tory of the case being there disclosed
and fully recited. Assuming, that in
accordance with the usageS of the SEN
ate, he would himself be a NOM
Der of the committee on privileges, and
elections he gave the assurance that the
question should be dealt with at the
earliest possible moment, so that the
gentleman entitled to the seat would be
dDle 10 eHJeT OH tl1e ulScHdTgc OI Ills
duties as senator. Mr.. Kenna said that
the course suggested seemed eminently
and he trusted that that
action would be taken without the form
ality of vote. This suggestion was
adopted. The oath was administered to
the other three senators, and Subse-
quently Senators Gray, Hale, Hawley,
Hearst, Reagan, Sawyer, Sherman,
Stewart, StOckbridge and Turpie. AT
the suggestion of Mr.. Vest the privi-